Follow Leadership within Scriptural Limits

Into:

What Feelings Come to Mind

Skater: Didn’t like Authority

Pitfalls to Avoid:

Pitfall #1: Authority Idolization

Definition: Following without discernment; even into immorality or beyond the leaders rightful authority.

Blind obedience to leaders.

Examples:

Holocaust: Adolf Hitler

Jim Jones - Mass suicide

In our time, many have swung into another pitfall.

Pitfall #2: Selective Submission

Definition: Following only when convenient or personally agreed upon.

1964 “Don’t trust anyone over 30”

24 year old Jack Weinberg (UC Berkley, Free Speech Movement).

Once he passed 30, he clarified that he didn’t really mean it. Not sure if I should trust him though.

Some of the most captivating stories and movies are those in which the main character rebels against leadership, saves the day, and is viewed as the hero.

90’s “Mulan” - Defies orders and ends up saving China.

2000’s “Harry Potter” - Often disregards authority and is viewed as the hero.

2022 “Top Gun: Maverick”

I’m not necessarily down on these stories; but the stories we tell influence our beliefs.

How does God want us to follow leadership?

Biblical Followership

Definition: Following spiritual leadership within Scriptural limits.

1. Christ is the Biblical model for leadership.

He lead with love for his people (John 15:13)

He served them.

He sought their benefit.

He was willing to sacrifice for them.

John 15:13 ESV

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

No leader will ever match up to him. But we should look to him as the example.

He is our highest leader.

Every earthly leader is under his authority, whether they realize it or not. (Matt. 28:18)

Matthew 28:18 ESV

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

This is what people miss when they fall into the “Authority Idolization” pitfall.

2. Leaders in the Church are to be selected carefully and must meet certain qualifications. (Titus 1:5-11)

These high standards are set in order to…

Prevent potentially corrupt people from getting into leadership.

Prevent people who are not mature enough from leading before they are ready.

Prevent the Church from deviating away from accurate bible teaching.

Prevent people from leadership who are not living in accordance with the Bible.

3. We are called to follow legitimate leadership: Heb. 13:17

Hebrews 13:17 ESV

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

My perspective began to change as I saw that Scripture was clear on this.

I didn’t get to pick and choose what I wanted to follow.

Spiritual leaders will be accountable for how they led.

Husbands leading families.

Pastors and Elders leading churches.

What are the Scriptural limits of leadership?

Leadership passes its limit when it gives a directive contrary to God’s commands.

Ex. Acts 4:18-21

Acts 4:18–21 ESV

So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened.

Exodus 1:15–16 ESV

Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, “When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.”

In general, leaders can give instructions to those they lead, but it becomes illegitimate if it contradicts something from a leader in higher authority.

Ex. America: Constitution. A state cannot make a law that would contradict a constitutional right. Because it comes from an authority that is higher than the state.

Leadership passes its limit when it gives directives that reach outside its legitimate sphere of authority.

3 Spheres: Church, Social, Family

Your Father was your leader in your household.

That means he has the privilege and responsibility to lead his household well.

That does not give him the right to exercise authority over…

someone else's household.

the church or social spheres.

Your pastor is your leader in your church sphere.

That does not give him the right to walk into a classroom at SDSU and start telling the professor what to do. It’s outside his sphere of authority.

A pastor also does not have authority over your household.

He can’t decide for you…

Who to marry.

Where to work.

Where to move.

He can…

Give counsel.

Point you towards Biblical advise.

Exercise church discipline.

How to be a good follower:

Try to make it a joy for your leaders.

Ask yourself, “If I were leading, how would I wish those who follow me would act?”

Probably not:

Dragging their feet.

Grumbling

Complaining.

Enthusiastically.

A heart to help the plans succeed.

If you want to be a good leader, you first need to be a good follower.

Strive to be agreeable.

This does not mean being a push over, or never asking questions.

Aiming for unity, peace and synergy.

Not being a contrarian, playing devils advocate or arguing.

Often times, being disagreeable comes from the root of pride:

Wanting to be seen as right.

Wanting your idea to be picked.

Be constructive, not critical.

When you see a problem or a need that your leader doesn’t see or seems to be neglecting, it can be easy to…

Judge the leader.

Be critical. “If he would just do it my way…”

Or you can be constructive:

“I have some questions that I wanted to get your thoughts on.”

“I noticed _____. Here are a couple of ideas on how we could solve it.”

Shannon was amazing at being constructive.

She always came with a list of things that she could have been critical about.

But instead she was humble and constructive.

Where it Gets Difficult:

When you disagree with the leader.

Not on an issue of morality, but on a decision: “It would be better if we spent our time doing Bible study instead of talking through details for that event we are hosting. Maybe if he were more spiritual the ministry would be more effective.”

Temptation:

Put in a half-hearted effort to make the plans succeed.

Secretly desire for the leaders plans to fail.

Talk with others in the ministry about your disagreement with the leader.

Get people to be discontent with the leader. (Absolam did this)

Loose respect for the leader.

Instead:

Choose respect.

Choose to be a team player.

Choose to make the plans succeed, no matter how lame you think they are.

Andy Stanly - Unified team with a sub-par plan is going to produce effective results.

When you don’t like a rule that has been set.

Justify disregarding it.

Secretly going around it.

Instead: Choose to follow with joy.

Discussion Questions:

Take 30 seconds and look over your notes from tonight. What was something that stood out to you?

Life With Attitude Day 3: Limits on Leaders

Read

Life With Attitude Day 4: The Role of Leaders

Read

Kevin mentioned two pitfalls to avoid in how one relates to leadership (Authority Idolization and Selective Submission).

Which of these do you think is most characteristic of your culture?

Can you think of an example from real life, a movie, song, etc. that shows a tendency towards that pitfall?

How does Biblical Followership contrast with these two pitfalls? (What makes it different?)